


Reckless

by uptownkretch



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gets sweet at the end (of course), How Do I Tag, Light Angst, M/M, No Spoilers, Non-Canon Relationship, Violence, oh my, unbeta-d
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 12:32:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14544825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uptownkretch/pseuds/uptownkretch
Summary: Vax is trapped, again. One might think Percy enjoys pinning the sly rogue down, since he takes every chance he gets nowadays.This time is different though. Percy is angry.Aka; Vax gets hurt, Percy is pissed





	Reckless

**Author's Note:**

> Vax is hurt in battle, but the mission is at stake. He's on the verge of passing out when Percy notices.
> 
> (Just take the liberty now of ignoring Vax's magic belt, authors make mistakes sometimes)

Vax is trapped, again. One might think Percy enjoys pinning the sly rogue down, since he takes every chance he gets nowadays.

This time is different though. Percy is angry.

There's a mutual agreement amongst the group not to touch each other's weapons, not without permission. It varies a little, but no one ever touches Vax's knives. Not even his sister, really. It's unspoken, which makes it just that much more of a shock when Percy pulls one of his knives from his belt and stabs it, through his cuffs, into the wall behind him.

"Reckless," Percy hisses. The blade goes hot in his hand as it sinks through his sleeves and into the wood paneling. Vax's wrists grow warm just being near the receiving end. "Arrogant. Obnoxious. _Stupid_."

"Percival-" Vax starts. He drives the knife further in and the metal sings. Vax can't yank it out without burning himself. His palms are slick with sweat. Percy grabs his keen dagger from his belt. "M-My blades, Percy-"

"Was it worth it?" He asks. He's seething as he steps back and leaves Vax there, squirming in pain against the wall. Suddenly, he pauses. "Where is your poison dagger?"

"Back right, can't see, have to feel for it," He says, instantly. "I'm okay, Percy, please-"

Percy takes that one too, tossing it to the table at his sides without a care. He whips his own coat off his shoulders and starts pulling out drawers.

"It doesn't hurt, Percival, wait, but- but-" He stammers, lying through his teeth as Percy pulls his cloak apart. Percy digs until he finds blood, and then digs further, until Vax's torso is bare on one side, and then pins that pile of cloth to the wall at his ribs with the keen dagger. It doesn't sink as easily without heat, so he grunts and forces it between the planks before stepping back.

"You're still bleeding," He says, mostly to himself, but Vax still feels the shame. "How long has it been, an hour? That's too much blood."

"I'm fine, I'm _fine_ ," He insists. Percy grabs something from his bench - a small, thick cloth and a half-empty bottle of clear, bubbling liquid - and ignores him. "Fuck, those are _my daggers_ , Percival."

"I know that," He says, quiet and full of venom. He takes the smaller cloth and dumps the contents of the bottle onto it. "Warning, this is gonna sting."

That's all he gets before Percy drops to his knees starts wiping down his side. Vax hasn't gotten a good look at the wound - too busy trying not to worry the others, waiting until the mission is over and they're home safe - but oh God, right now he can feel it. Rows of slashes across his ribcages, from his armpit nearly to his belly button, each of them stinging with violent force.

"Fuck, _fuck-_ " He chokes out, twisting trying to get away from the burn. It hurt before, a horrid amount, way more than he allowed himself to let on, but this was so much worse. "Percy, Percival, I can't!"

Percy moves on to the next cut, this one a little bit deeper that the last, and a new wave of hissing pain hits. Vax twists away as far as he can get without burning himself or tearing his cloak off his shoulders, but suddenly there's a strong hand on his hip yanking him back, and an arm over his waist pinning him to the wall.

The liquid drips down his sides as Percy methodically wipes the cuts. Vax groans.

"Almost there," Percy says, much softer than before. There's a fog climbing up Vax's spine now, matching his thudding chest.

"Hurts," Vax says.

"I know," Percy says.

The next cut, and Percy's wiping down his stomach before flipping the rag over and going again. The pain washes through him in waves on top of waves.

Suddenly, the motions stop.

"Breathe, Vax," Percy says. Vax gasps in air. "Come on."

"Please?" He says. The voice that comes out is almost foreign, it's so desperate. "Please, please Percy, I can't do this."

"Look at me," He orders.

Vax looks. His gut twists again.

"Yes you can," Percy says. It's low, purposeful. Vax shivers. "I'm not letting you go until this is healed. We're almost done. You nearly died, Vax'ildan."

"Percy," Vax whines. There's a minute where he struggles to catch his breath, and everything sharpens. Fuck, how low was he? "I- I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry."

"Stop that," Percy says. Vax closes his mouth. The cloth is back, light, on healing skin. "Last one. Breath for me."

Vax whimpers, nods, and suddenly the pain is back. There's nothing that could make him ready for it, but at least he knows what to expect. It stings terribly enough to make tears spring in his eyes. He chokes out a wet noise as Percy cleans the wound, thorough and merciless.

Vax barely notices when it's over. Percy fills a bowl on the counter, drops the cloth in, and washes his hands before coming back. He's still in half of his gear: sleeves pushed up, pants stained, boots still laced - practically impeccable compared to the state Vax was just in. Vax lets him press close, pulling the knives out of the wall one by one. When he releases his wrists, Vax slumps, wrapping loosely around the larger man and burying his face into the crook of his neck. Percy holds him up, lets him tangle his way on like a particularly gangly sloth, murmuring soft praise.

Vax mumbles something into his shoulder.

"What was the that?" Percy asks.

"Pinned me to the wall," He starts, louder but still slurred. "With my own fucking daggers."

Percy chuckles. His hands find their way to his back through open fabric, tracing patterns on chilled skin.

"You needed it," He shrugs. Vax sighs, exasperated. There's a pause, where Vax holds his breath a second too long.

"...It was kind of hot," Vax admits. Percy laughs again, clear and ringing. "Don't make fun of me, asshole."

"Aw, you liked that?" He teases. Vax flushes, but doesn't shove him away. Percy trails his fingertips over the newly healed flesh, still sensitive. "Kinky bastard."

"Listen, it- you- it was- oh, fuck it," He says. Vax reaches down the best he can without moving away from Percy's body, sliding his fingers over the new scarred flesh before covering Percy's hand with his own, pressing flat.

Percy hums. He lets Vax guide his hand along his side, rough callouses against soft ribs, until he's holding his waist as if their embrace is the end of some odd dance. It sure did feel like the end of something, but neither man could bring themselves to mourn. The tension in the room ebbs away into a weird, comfortable space.

"I love you," Vax says before he can stop himself. There's a silence moment, where the pain threatens to come back.

"I love you, too," Percy says. Vax lets out a little breath, smiling against his neck.

"Good," He says. Percy is smiling now too, relief practically audible.

"Dumbass," He whispers. It's good. Everything's good.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This is my second finished work (out of hundreds of wips) and my first published one! Hell yeah finally accomplishing something with my writing!
> 
> Sorry if this doesn't make complete sense, but I liked it a lot so I decided to test the waters. Comments would be awesome and greatly appreciated!!! If I mess up somewhere along the line, especially with tagging, tell me and I'll try to fix it.


End file.
